L.A. County tax hike on Nov. 4 ballot

kabc

By ABC7

LOS ANGELES Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe revived the issue of whether to
place the measure on the November general election consolidated ballot, and
changed his "no" vote to "yes," giving the measure three votes on the five-
member board.

The future of the proposed tax, which would raise an estimated $40
billion over the next 30 years, now rests in the hands of the state
Legislature.

In order to increase the sales tax, which is already too close to its
legal limit in some portions of the county to be raised, the Legislature must
approve a bill that would exempt it from the tax cap.

That bill awaits a Senate Appropriations Committee vote, which is
expected to occur later this week.

At last Tuesday's meeting, Knabe and Supervisor Mike Antonovich voted
against placing the measure on the November general election ballot, resulting
in a 2-2-1 vote, with Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky and Yvonne Burke voting for
it and Supervisor Gloria Molina abstaining.

As a result, the motion failed, meaning the tax measure would have gone
on a separate ballot on the same day, which county officials estimated could
have cost about $10.5 million.

Knabe, though against the tax, said he didn't want to needlessly raise
the cost of the election while adding to voter confusion, so he agreed to
revive the issue and change his vote.

If the Legislature clears the way for the measure, it would then go
before voters, two-thirds of whom must support it in order for the tax to pass.

Meanwhile, in a separate measure proposed by Antonovich and Molina and
supported by Knabe, the board voted 3-to-2 to send a letter to the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority expressing opposition to the tax.